Colby Conrad looked up from the small map she was holding. Ahead, her mother, Fern, fiddled with her phone, an old, clunky thing with two cracks running through the middle of the screen.

“Any luck?” Colby asked, letting her backpack slide off her shoulders and fall to the ground with a thud.

Fern shook her head, then looked up to the sky.

They were surrounded on all sides by trees, dense forestry that had, earlier in the day, looked majestic. Now, she found it frightening, imposing. The trees loomed over them, seeming larger than they had just a short time ago. Colby followed her mother’s gaze, watching the clouds stretch out across the sky. If only she were a bird, she thought. She could fly up high above the trees and find out which way they needed to go….

Clicking on the book’s cover image, will take you directly to its Amazon page

Author Michelle Schlicher made direct contact, to introduce herself and offer me the opportunity to read her latest work of contemporary literary fiction ‘Come This Way’. I would like to thank her for considering Fiction Books as a suitable review site for her work and I look forward to taking time out from my current run of mystery / thriller reads, to check out this intriguing and interesting story.

…

The Book … ‘COMETHISWAY‘

A hiking and outdoor enthusiast, fifty-year-old Fern Conrad can’t imagine spending her time doing anything else, much to the dismay of her daughter, Colby.

Kara Dawson, a twenty-five-year-old student therapist, has shut life out to focus on her sister’s illness. That is, until a chance meeting pushes her to confront the possibilities—by letting go and moving forward.

Eighty-three-year-old Nettie Campbell heals in the hospital while facing the consequences of her actions. Can she repair relationships and forge new bonds as she comes to terms with the truth?

‘Come This Way’ is an emotional, honest look into the lives of women who are discovering their own strength. It is a story about difficult choices and the people around us who help us find our way.

…

The Author … MICHELLESCHLICHER

Michelle is the author of two previous novels ‘The Blue Jay’ and Gracie’s Song. A graduate of Iowa State University, she subsequently worked for six years in communications and marketing.

She lives in a suburb of Des Moines with her husband and two children.

Mailbox Monday is a gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house during the last week. Be warned that Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.

Mailbox Monday now has a permanent home, where links may be added each week. So why not stop by, leave a link to your own Mailbox Monday post, oh! and don’t forget to leave a comment for our three new joint administrators, after all, we all like to receive them …

First Lines

BAM! My elbow whacked Chris’s forehead for the fourth time during practice. He grunted and caught me before I hit the ice. Though I’d skated over half of my nineteen years, I’d never had so many collisions. Of course, until a year ago, I’d never skated with a partner. I cringed and touched Chris’s sweaty […]

Random Quote

Writing is enormously satisfying, a little difficult at times, but rewarding, especially when someone really loves the book – that is the ultimate joy.